Muharram-Dussehra procession: Communal clashes erupt in several parts of UP

October 2, 2017, 10:03 AM IST

KANPUR: Clashes between two communities broke out during Muharram procession in Kanpur’s Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

Tension gripped the Parampurva area after six persons were injured in a clash during a procession that saw members of two sides clashed, throwing bricks at each other and setting vehicles on fire, police said.

Two cars and four motorcycles were set ablaze during the clash, he said. Police resorted to baton-charge to control the situation, the IG said. He said three persons were injured in the incident. Four companies (around 400 personnel) of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and a company of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the area to maintain peace.

The incident occurred when the procession deviated from its fixed route. Perturbed, some members of another community started throwing stones at it in Parampurva, Inspector General of Police (Kanpur zone) Alok Singh told PTI.

A senior official in Lucknow said the situation was being closely monitored.

Police force is present here & we have had a word with the parties involved: Avinash Chandra, ADG Kanpur Zone pic.twitter.com/tKxquPvWSf

A similar incident happened in Rawatpur village in the district, but it was nipped in the bud.

In Ballia,nearly half-a-dozen people were injured after members of two communities clashed over a petty dispute related to children in the Sikandarpur area, an official said. Curfew has been imposed in the Sikandarpur area.

The incident occurred last evening at a Durga Puja fair, District Magistrate Surendra Vikram said. A minor quarrel between two children took an ugly turn after their parents and members of the two communities got involved. “There were reports of stone pelting,” Vikram said.

The DM said the police reached the spot and controlled the situation. “Police and provincial armed constabulary (PAC) personnel have been deployed at the spot. The situation is under control,” he added.

In Agra, a case under the Arms Act has been registered against 60 people affiliated to VHP and Bajrang Dal after they fired in the open near the Ramlila Maida of the area and also made inflamatory remarks targeting the minority community, reported the Hindustan Times.